A series of trialkylammonium salts of indium and gallium thiocarboxylates, [Et 3 NH][M(SC{O}Ph) 4 ]?H 2 O (M ~In 31 (1), Ga 31 (2)) and [n-Bu 3 NH][In(SC{O}Ph) 4 ] (3), [R 3 NH][In(SC{O}Me) 4 ] (R ~Et (4) and n-Bu (5)) have been synthesized and characterized. The structure of 2 has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction and was found to be isomorphous and isostructural with [Et 3 NH][In(SC{O}Ph) 4 ]?H 2 O (1) reported earlier.Thermal properties of 1-5 were studied. Compound 4 exhibits a phase transition which was characterized by DSC. Thermogravimetric and pyrolysis experiments of 1, 3, 4 and 5 showed the formation of tetragonal b-In 2 S 3 while 2 yielded poorly crystalline monoclinic Ga 2 S 3 . Thin films of tetragonal In 2 S 3 were obtained on a Ni coated Si substrate by MOCVD experiments using 1. Under similar conditions, 2 resulted in a film containing both cubic c-Ga 2 S 3 and hexagonal Ni 0.96 S. When a Cu coated Si substrate was used 1 deposited thin films of tetragonal CuInS 2 , while 2 furnished a mixture of tetragonal Cu 1.96 S and tetragonal CuGaS 2 films. The composition of the thin films also depends on the temperature employed during the growth process. The composition, stoichiometry, phase analysis and surface morphology of the thin films obtained have been unequivocally characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, RBS, Selective Area Electron Diffraction and XPS. It appears that the decomposed product(s) of 1 and 2 react with the substrate to form the metal sulfide thin films.